Fence-support



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. HUME AND JOHN S. HUME, OF OSAWATOMIE, KANSAS.

FENCE-SUPPORT.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 347,713, dated August17, 1886.

Application filed February 17, 1886. Serial No. 192,253. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we,'GEoRGE H. HUME and JOHN S. HUME, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Osawatomie, in the county of Miami and Stateof Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Supports; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in Tothe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figuresofreierencemarked thereon,which form a part of this specification. I 5Our invention relates to fence-supports, andisparticularlydesignedtobeusedinconnection with strands of wire or rope;and it consists in the novel features shown, and more fully hereinafterset forth and claimed. In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a section offence having my improved support. Fig. 2 is a front View of the support.Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the wire receiving uprights. Fig. 4 is afront View of the lower portionof the support on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the latter.

The support comprises brace-bars A, uprights B, and tie 0. Each brace,near its lower end, is provided with a hooked arm, a,

0 forming an integral part thereof, for the threefold purpose ofassisting in driving the brace into the ground, preventing its settling,and as a means to secure it to a stake or anchor. The braces are unitednear their lower 3 5 ends by the tie O, which prevents their spreading.The upper endsoverlap and are held by a bolt, D. The braces and tie forma triangle, of which the latter is the base.

I The uprights B have coincident openings b,

from which slots I) extend to the edge. The

slots in each extend in opposite directions,

and are preferably inclined, and are of a width equal to or greater thanthe diameter of the strands composing the fence. These uprights 5 areold, and are claimed as a part of this invention only in combinationwith the braces and tie.

In constructing the fence the uprights may be lapped alongside oneanother, or they may be placed on opposite sides of the braces and heldin place by the bolt D, passing through their upper ends, and by a bolt,0, passing through their lower ends and through the tie.

By reason of the inclination of the slots 1) the strands E of the fenceare guided into the openings 1) in a manner well understood. The strandsare prevented from accidental displacement by the slots extending inopposite directions, whereby the one upright forms a lock for the other,as will be readily appreciated.

The support when set in position is secured by an anchor composed of twoprongs, F, pivoted together near their upper ends. The lower ends, f,are slightly curved outward and taper to a point. The upper ends areexpanded, and have coincident openingsf abox e the pivotal connection.The prongs of the anchor occupy the position shown by the dotted linesin Fig. 5, when about to be driven home. The full lines, Figs. 1 and4,.indicate their position when driven home. Owing to the outwardcurvature of the ends f, the prongs separate as they enter the groundand take a firm hold therein. A pin or bolt, G, passing through thecoincident openings f, firmly holds the prongs in their expandedposition and prevents their withdrawal, as will be readil ycomprehended.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patcut, is

The combination, with a fence-support having an arm projecting from itslower end, of an anchor composed of two prongs having their upper endsexpanded and pivoted together, and provided with corresponding openingsto one side of the pivotal connection for the passage of a bolt,substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof we affix oursignatures in presence of twowitnesses.

- GEORGE H. HUME.

JOHN S. HUME. WVitnesses:

DANIEL BEOKLEY, CHARLES SMITH.

